Turn Pieces of Carpet into Area Rugs

New area rugs are a great way to brighten up a room. Unfortunately, many families simply don’t have the money available to splurge on such a luxury. The good news is that area rugs can be made quite easily and cheaply from left over pieces of carpet.

Step One – Measure Up

Measure the space that the rug will occupy. You should consider factors such as doors that will open and close around the area and any furniture in the room. Keep in mind the amount of traffic that will be going in and out of the area as well. Pieces of carpet can easily ride up and trip people.

Step Two - Paper

Create a sheet of brown paper the size of your intended rug. Brown paper works best, but if you don’t have any, taping together brown grocery bags will work just as well. Place the measurements onto the paper and create the pattern you want. Give it a good check over when you are finished and make any necessary adjustments.

Step Three - Shop

Once the pattern is complete, take it to the carpet store with you. This will help assure that you have enough carpet to work with, especially if you have made a simple design. Having the pattern in hand will help you get a better picture of what the finished product may look like.

Step Four – Prepare for Cutting

Once you have the pieces required, take them home and lay them on the floor. Before you start cutting, make sure you to protect the surface of your floor, especially if it is wood or linoleum. A carpet knife can seriously damage the surface of your floor, so protect it by placing cardboard or a similarly resistant material to act as a buffer.

Step five - Secure the Pattern

Using masking tape, secure the pattern to the back of the carpet.

Step Six - Slice

Cut around the pattern with your carpet knife. It might be best to practice first, as this process can be very hard on your hands. Consider wearing rigger gloves to protect yourself.

Step Seven - Get rid of the Leftovers

Get rid of all scraps and leftovers. Keep your cutting board and try your new carpet out in its desired location. This is an excellent time to make any adjustments in cutting.

Step Eight - Glue

Turn the carpet over on top of the cutting board. Take your white glue and coat the entire edge. It is best to make a border of about a half inch. This will keep the fibers from fraying later on. Turn the carpet right side up when finished and let it dry for at least 24 hours. Make one last check to make sure that there are no gaps in the border to safeguard against fraying.

Step Nine - Enjoy

Once completed, throw away the cardboard and put your new area rug in its place.